Eventually, the water turned icy cold and woke me from the trance I’d fallen into. Earlier that day, when I had first opened my eyes, I couldn’t stop weeping, but by the time I finished showering, I was numb. My body was doing everything on its own; I wasn’t really there. It was a foreign sensation, being dead yet somehow functioning. I wanted everything to go back to the way it was before.
I knew in my soul seeing her would bring me back to life, so there was no way I’d risk missing school.
Something in the back of my mind kept telling me I’d done something wrong, something very bad, but I had no idea what. I just wanted to get the hell out of the house. I had a feeling if I didn’t, I never would again. As I walked through the halls then peeked at the floor below me, for the first time, it was not only naked bodies I saw.
“Hurry the hell up before that kid wakes up!” one of them said to the others. Security was dragging unconscious women out the door and leaving trails of blood behind. I’d never seen this, but then again, they hadn’t been this late to cleaning up the party since Uncle beat me to a pulp for taking pictures of his disgusting friends. How long had this been happening?
I hurried back to my room, but with the pain and weakness I was enduring, I almost vomited in the hall instead of my bathroom. Afterward, I crept up to the third floor, to Mum’s room, opened the door, and found her lying on her bed, belly down.
What if she, too, wasn’t alive? I walked over to her and let out a sigh of relief when her back moved with every breath. “Mum…”
Even though she was knocked out, I wanted to talk to her. At first, I flushed out my thoughts, planning how I would tell her.Mum… when you wake up… can we pleeeeease just leave this place? Please? I beg you, let’s just get out of here. I don’t feel good, Mommy. I haven’t felt good in so long, but… this is different. Things are getting worse. I’m feeling empty, hopeless, stripped. Please. Let’s just leave here. I thought I could stay for her, because of her, but I can’t take this anymore. I can’t.With the sleeve of my shirt, I wiped tears that’d escaped my eyes.
“Mum…” I called and nudged her. “Mum, please wake up. We need to talk.” She didn’t react at all, and I had to admit, part of me lost all courage to tell her anything pretty quickly. That’s why I didn’t try harder to wake her and left after a few minutes.
I walked through the halls then down the stairs. When I reached my floor, I saw Uncle Ricard at the door to my bedroom from the steps. I held my breath, hoping he wouldn’t notice me, but by the way he twisted his head to look at me, I knew he’d sensed my presence.
He stepped away from the room and took two steps toward me while opening his arms. “Killian,” he called, then a fake smile filled his face. “Come. We need to talk.”
I froze, and a memory from the previous night crashed into me.“That’s right, Killian, it’s not real. You’re safe.”It’s what he’d said to me while the monsters undressed me. I saw them walk to me, corner me.It didn’t happen. It was all a bad dream.
Ticktock.
It’s time to run. Ticktock. Ticktock. Ticktock. Ticktock.
Ticktock. Ticktock. Ticktock. Ticktock.Run. Run. Run.
Ruuuuuunnnnnnnn!!!!!!!
“Noooo!” I screamed at the same time as the voice, then ran down the stairs to the front of the house. Thank God the chauffeur was already waiting for me in the car. I practically jumped into the vehicle. “Alle, Alle, Alle!” I kept yelling once inside, but instead, the door opened again and my uncle came in. “Ahhhhhhhhhh!” I couldn’t stop screaming and trying to crawl to the other side of the car after he’d gotten hold of my ankle.The door was child locked. No matter how many times I tried to open it and kick at his hold I couldn’t escape. It’s not like I had much energy. Within seconds I was limp and trying to catch my breath, squeezing my eyes shut so that the dizziness would not force me to vomit again.
He released my leg and readjusted his jacket and sitting. On his side, the door had been slammed shut after he sat across from me. I pushed myself into the corner farthest from him, but even then, we were too close to each other. The car became stiflingly hot, as if someone had taken out all the air and set it on fire. The image of myself cornered in the shower the night before blinked in my mind. I was as scared in the car as I had been then.
“Don’t you ever run from me again… you little shit.” He paused, glaring at me, appearing super annoyed. I didn’t want him to beat me up again because then that would mean I wouldn’t see her for days again. I wouldn’t survive it. His lower eyelid started getting more and more swollen, then melting. More of his eyeball became exposed. “You’re just like your mother. You fight and complain and then enjoy it.”
What? Mum?I was so confused. What had he done to her? Why wouldn’t she wake up? “What did you do to me? What have you been doing to us?” The screeching of the questions shot a headache into me and for a second everything before me was drowned by white as if lighting had struck.
“W-what are you talking about?” he mocked. His only response was a menacing smile that slowly spread on his face, then his teeth biting into his bottom lip. “You will tell your mother nothing and do exactly as I say—”
Tell Mum what? What am I not supposed to tell her? That I’d had yet another hallucination episode and hurt myself? Why wouldn’t he want Mum to know?“No. No, I won’t—”
“Yes, you will.” He nodded and paused. “You think I got this rich by being a fool, little nephew?” He tittered. “I controleverything and everyone around me. I know about your little wife. That little girl we visited last week. Remember?” He lifted his eyebrows, waiting for my answer. “You will do exactly as I say, or I’ll let them take her. I promise you. You will never see her again. And what they’ll do to her… You don’t want to know.”
I tried to stay still, to not react, but the thought of this monster getting his hands on Magdalena stopped my breathing and heart. By the time I noticed I’d swallowed deep and was shaking my head, it was too late. I had already shown him my fear.
My lower lip trembled uncontrollably as I shook my head. I thought I could shake the image of the elk heads from my mind. I couldn’t.
“I fecking hate yooooooouuuuuu!” I screamed at the top of my lungs. Another lightning struck.
Only his laughter stopped me from screeching. “You think I don’t know how you feel about me? I know, Killian. But guess what. I couldn’t possibly care less. The only reason you’re alive is because of Star. Otherwise, you’d be at the bottom of the ocean with your father.”
All the thoughts ran through my mind at lightning speed, almost one on top of the other.This can’t be. This can’t be. I can’t let him get to her. Not my angel. You’re not going to ruin her like you did me, like you did Mum. No! Not my angel.
“She has nothing to do with any of this. You leave her the hell alone, you disgusting feck!” The words tumbled out of my mouth way before I realized what I’d said. I was shocked he was still so nonchalant and not punching my face.
“You’re right. I will leave her alone.” He paused. “I’ll even make sure they don’t get anywhere near her… as long as you obey me.”
The left corner of my lips lifted on the left side into a grimace while fat tears ran fast down my face.
